The invention relates to the installation of a machine where accurate placement of the machine on the foundation is critical. When installing a machine, a bedplate with bolt holes for the machine is already set in place on the foundation. It is often necessary to set the machine to a very accurate location on the foundation bedplate to allow for connections to other parts of a system being installed. The location of the machine may be required to be within a few thousandths of an inch (hundredths of a millimeter) of a particular location on the bedplate. The machine bolt holes are oversized to allow for some adjustment on the bedplate. After being set in the desired position, the machine feet are bolted to the bedplate to the maximum torque value of the bolts to prevent the machine from loosening on the bedplate. The machine is then dowelled to the bedplate to prevent lateral movement of the machine feet within the bolt holes.
Problems arise because the bolt clearance in the standard hold down bolt hole is sometimes too small to allow the machines to be set at the proper location. Further, doweling in a field location is time-consuming and expensive.
A need exists for a system that can be easily installed in the field which allows increased movement for the correct placement of the machine and a dowel-free way to fix the machine to prevent lateral movement.